334 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



CRKAM INVKSTIOATIONS AND TIIK NKED OF CREAMERY INSPECTION. 



Investigations luirc been made of the sanitary condition of cream- 

 eries and cream-buying stations, also of the quality of the cream 

 received and the methods used in its manufacture into butter, and 

 the conditions under which cream is produced and prepared for 

 market. 



A special examination of 144 creameries and cream-buying stations 

 located in 6 different States showed that only 8, or about 5.5 per 

 cent, Nvere absolutely satisfactory fi'om a sanitary standpoint. 



An examination of 1,554 lots of cream after being delivered to the 

 creameries and cream-buying stations showed 113, or 7.8 per cent, to 

 be of first grade; 484. or 31.1 per cent, of second grade; and 957, or 

 G1.5 per cent, of third grade. The tliird grade consists of cream that 

 is dirty, decomposed, or very sour. High acidity in ordinary cream 

 indicates either age or bad conditions surrounding its production, 

 handling, or storage. 



An incpiiry covering 715 creameries located in G States showed that 

 only 19G, or 27.4 per cent, pasteurize their cream, while 519, or 72.6 

 per cent, do not pasteurize. 



The results of these investigations may not represent with abso- 

 lute accuracy the creamery industry as a whole, but they are cer- 

 tainly not far out of the wa}'. While some creameries are in good 

 sanitary condition, receive good cream, practice pasteurization and 

 other approved methods, and turn out a high-grade product, the 

 number of such creameries is very small. Our investigations reveal 

 the fact that 94.5 per cent of the creameries are insanitary to a 

 greater or less degree; that G1.5 per cent of the cream used is dirty 

 or decomposed, or both; and that 72.G per cent of the cream is not 

 pasteurized, but is made into butter to be consumed in a raw state. 

 In other words, millions of gallons of cream that has been allowed 

 to stand in the barn, in the cellar, or in the woodshed until it is sour 

 or decomposed is sent to the creamery, and without even being pas- 

 teurized is made into butter. Butter is usually consumed in the raw 

 state and may carry pathogenic organisms for a long period of time; 

 but, aside from the danger of pathogenic infection, consumers should 

 not be expected to eat a product from an insanitary place and made 

 from material that is unclean and decomposed. 



We have been studying this subject for some years and are fully 

 convinced that the welfare of the public, as well as of the dairy in- 

 dustry, demands that something be done to correct these unwhole- 

 some conditions. The best remedy is believed to be a system of 

 inspection such as is recommended in an earlier part of this report 

 under the heading " Needed legislation." 



OTHER WORK RELATING TO BUTTER. 



During the year observations were made on the shrinkage of butter 

 between creamery and market when packed in various ways. While 

 the results are not definite on account of the unsatisfactory methods of 

 weighing on the markets, they show the best method of preparing 

 tubs, and show that when firm-bodied butter is properly packed 10 

 ounces extra to the GO-pound tub will make it hold out on the market. 



In order to ascertain the average composition of creamery butter, 

 G95 samples were collected by field men and State inspectors for 



